Bone reducing tool



March 17, 1953 J. R. SIEBRANDT 2,631,585

BONE REDUCING TOOL Filed Sept. 6, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l mmumlmmmn F]; 1 I Z lNvEN-rog JOHN R. SIEBRANDT,DEEASEO, by ELIZABETH SIEBRANDT, EXECUTRI x BY/Z7/WM W/Way:

March 17, 1953 J. R. SIEBRANDT 2,631,585

BONE REDUCING TOOL Filed Sept. 6. 1949 2 swans-swam 2 ,llllllllllllllllll llnlfll lllllllllll llllllllllflll ll Patented Mar. 17, 1953 OFFICE BONE REDUCING TOOL John R.

Siebrandt, deceased, late of Kansas City,

Mo., by Elizabeth Siebrandt, executrix, Kansas City, Mo., assignor, b

y mesne assignments, to

Siebrandt Fracture Equipment, Inc., Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application September 6, 1949, Serial No. 114,209

4 Claims.

'This invention relates to new and useful improvements in bone reducing tools, and has particular reference to a. tool whereby the fragments of a broken bone may be firmly grasped and brought into proper alignment.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a bone reducing tool comprising a pair of clamps each having rotatable jaw members and adapted to engage a bone respectively at opposite sides of a fracture therein, and an adjustable connection between said clamps. Said rotatable jaws permit full angulation and relative movement of the bone fragments with the clamps in position thereon, with a minimum of trauma or injury to the bone cortex.

Another object is the provision of a bone reducing tool of the class described, wherein the jaw members are carried by the clamps for both rotational and universal pivoting movement.

A further object is the provision, in a bone reducing tool of the class described, of a pair of clamps and an adjustably extendable member connected respectively at its ends to said clamps for universal pivoting movement.

' Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, dependability, and ease-and convenience of manipulation.

With these objects in view, aswell as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a, bone reducing tool embodying the present invention, with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool shown in operative relation to a broken bone.

- Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the lin iIL-III of Fig. 2, with parts left in elevation, and with the bone omitted.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2, with the bone omitted.

' Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the face of one of the circular jaw members. I

Fig. 6 is aview similar to Fig. 4 showing a modified form of jaw. V p Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 6. Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the'several views, and the numeral 2 applies to each of two clamps including two elongated body members 4 and 6 arranged to cross intermediate their ends and, as best shown in Fig. 3, pivotally connected at their point of intersection by means of a cylindrical bearing pin 8. Said bearing pin is prolike clamps, each of said vided at one end with a flange I0 disposed adjacent the outer surface of one of said body members, and being provided with a threaded axial bore extending inwardly from its opposite end for receiving screw l2, the head of said screw bearing against the end of pin 8 and overlapping the outer surface of the associated body memher. The corresponding end portions of body members extending in one direction are formed to present hand grips I4, and the oppositely extending ends of said body members for jaw supporting arms Hi.

In the preferred form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, a circular jaw i8 is carried at the inner surface of each arm l6 adjacent the free end thereof, said jaws being substantially coaxial and disposed about an axis at right angles to arms iii. Each jaw i8 is attached to the associated arm by means of'a shouldered rivet 2G rigidly fixed in arm 16 and extending axially inwardly through a loosely fitting central hole 22 provided therefor in said jaw. Said rivet is provided at its inner end with an enlarged head 2d which is normally spaced apart from the recessed inner surface of said jaw. The outer surface 26 is substantially spherical, and is adapted to rest against the flat inner surface 28 of arm I6, as best shown in Fig. 4. Each jaw I8 is formed to present a plurality of pointed teeth 30 projecting from the inner surface thereof, and. spaced aboutthe peripheral edge thereof. Said teeth are adapted to bite into and gripa bone 32 firmly when the clamp is applied thereto as shown in Fig. 2. Due to the loose fit of each jaw on its rivet 26, and since the spherical outer surface 26 of each jaw rests on arm 16, the Jaws are free both to rotate and to pivot uni versally to a limited degree. Thus the jaws may accommodate themselves to a bone having a tapered or irregular surface,.and also clamp body members 4 and 6 may be turned relative to said p ns for a purpose hereinafter appearing.

An arcuate threaded member 3a is pivotally attached at one end to one of hand grips [4 in spaced relation from pivot 8, by means of pivot pin 36, and extends through a loosely fitting slot 58 formed in the other of said hand grips. A knurled lock nut 40 is carried on the extended end of said threaded member, and is adapted to be brought against the outer surface of the associated hand grip to secure the clamp in its bone gripping position. It will be noted that look nuts 40 are disposed immediately forwardly from the normal position of the hands of the operator on hand grips I4, and hence may be conveniently manipulated by the operator.

As best shown in Fig. 3, each of bearing pins 8 securing body members 4 and 6 together is provided with an inward axial extension 42 terminating in spherical ball formation 44, said balls being connected by means of a turnbuckle 46. Said turnbuckle comprises an internally threaded tubular member 48 and a screw member 50 threaded therein. Each of said turnbuckle members is provided at its outer end with an externally knurled enlargement 52, each of said enlargements being recessed at its outer end to present a socket 54 adapted to receive ball 44 of the associated clamp for rotational and universal pivoting movement. By means of knurled enlargements 52, turnbuckle 46 may readily be adjusted to vary the distance between clamps 2, and by means of ball and socket connections 44-54, the clamps may be freely angled relative to each other in any direction.

In use, clamps 2 are clamped respectively on a bone 32 at each side of a fracture 56 therein, as shown in Fig. 2, and secured in their clamping positions by means of lock nuts 46. Due to the freely adjustable relation between the clamps obtained by turnbuckle 46, the clamps are readily adjustable to clamp the ends of the fractured bone regardless of any misalignment caused by the fracture. The teeth 30 of jaws l8 bite into the bone cortex to prevent any slippage of the clamp relative to the bone. After the clamp has been positioned as described, the operator grasps hand grips [4 of each clamp, and, by manipulation thereof brings the bone fragments into proper alignment. Each clamp acts as a lever, fulcrumed on ball 44. As the bone fragments are adjusted, the angular relation of the clamp relative to the bone, of course, varies greatly. However, since jaws l3 are carried by the clamp body members for both rotational and universal pivoting, the jaws do not move relative to the bone. In this manner the clamps may be freely pivoted relative to the bone without further splintering or injury to the bone cortex. A common difficulty in setting bone fractures, paticularly fractures of the femur or other large bones, is that the fracture causes a muscle spasm which pulls the end portions of the bone adjacent the fracture into overlapping relation with a force often as great as 150 lbs. Overcoming this muscular force presents a considerable problem. This tool provides adequate leverage whereby a single operator, without the use of auxiliary traction applying apparatus, may overcome said muscular force and set the bone properly. After the bone has been set, it may be immobilized by applying a clamp such as disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 114,210, filed September 6, 1949, now Patent Number 2,583,896, directly over the fracture, and afiixing a splint plate to said bone with screws or bolts, or by other suitable means.

A feature of this invention is the rotational and pivotal mounting of jaws [8. Besides permitting angulation of the clamps relative to the bone with a minimum of trauma or injury, it permits the jaws to adjust themselves to fit bones having tapered or irregular surfaces, in order to grip them eificiently, and also permits the laws to accommodate bones of a rather wide range of sizes.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the construction and operation is substantially the same as that of the preferred form, except that arcuate jaws 58 are used in place of circular jaws l8 of the preferred form. Jaws 58 are elongated transversely to the clamp body members, and are cylindrically curved about axes at right angles to mounting rivets 60, which correspond to rivets 20 of the preferred form. Each of rivets 60 is rigidly fixed in arm l6, and is formed to present a hemispherical ball formation 62 projecting from the inner surface 28 of said arm. The outer surface of the associated jaw 58 is recessed to form a socket 64 for receiving ball 62. Rivet 60 is provided with a headed axial extension 66 which projects through a loosely fitting hole 68 formed centrally in. jaw 58. The concave inner surface of each jaw 58 is serrated to present a plurality of sharp edged teeth lll extending transversely thereacross. Thus jaws 58 are free to rotate and to be universally pivoted on rivets 60, and function substantially similarly to jaws I8 of the preferred form. They are particularly adapted for use with bones of relatively regular cylindrical form, and with reference to such bones have the advantage of a relatively wide gripping area. This brings more teeth into play, and thus provides an eflicient grip with very little penetration of the bone surface by the teeth.

What is claimed is:

l. A bone reducing tool comprising a pair of clamps each including a pair of elongated body members pivotally joined intermediate their ends, said body members forming cooperating hand grips and oppositely extending jaw supporting arms; a substantially planar circular jaw member disposed against the inner surface of each of said arms adjacent the free end thereof, said jaw having teeth formed on its inner surface and being secured rotatably to said jaw for axial rotation; and a member universally connected at its respective ends to said clamps.

2. A bone reducing tool comprising a pair of clamps each including a pair of elongated body members pivotally joined intermediate their ends, said body members forming cooperating hand grips and oppositely extending jaw supporting arms; a substantially planar circular jaw member disposed against the inner surface of each of said arms adjacent the free end thereof, said jaw having teeth formed on its inner surface and having its outer surface spherically curved and resting against the inner surface of the associated arm; a rivet fixed in said arm and passing through a loosely fitting central hole provided in said jaw; and an adjustably extensible member extending between and connected rotatably and pivotally to said clamps.

3. A bone reducing tool comprising a pair of clamps each including a pair of elongated body members pivotally joined intermediate their ends, said body members forming cooperating hand grips and oppositely extending jaw supporting arms; a jaw member secured rotatably to the inner surface of each of said arms for rotation about an axis substantially at right angles to said arm; said jaw being substantially cylindrically curved about an axis disposed transversely to said arm and having its inward concave surface transversely serrated; and a member connected pivotally at its respective ends to said clamps for universal movement.

4. A bone reducing tool comprising a pair of clamps each including a pair of elongated body members pivotally joined intermediate their ends, said body members forming cooperating hand grips and oppositely extending jaw supporting arms; a jaw member disposed adjacent the inner surface of each of said arms at the free end thereof, said jaw member being substantially cylindrically curved about an axis transverse to said arm, the inner concave surface of said jaw being transversely serrated; a rivet fixed in said arm and extending through a loosely fitting hole provided therefor in said jaw, said rivet being formed to present a spherical portion bearing in a socket formed in the outer surface of said jaw; and an adjustably extensible member extending between and connected rotatably and universally to said clamps.

ELIZABETH SIEBRANDT, Executriac of the estate of John R. Siebmndt,

deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the I file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 427,555 Connor May 13, 1890 1,170,334 Riggs Feb. 1, 1916 2,291,413 Siebrandt July 28, 1942 2,427,128 Ettinger Sept. 9, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES 

